Quick change sproket

Abstract

A mounting method for split sprockets which embodies radial slots in all mounting bolt positions; except the two mounting bolt positions disected by the split ends of the sprocket, the aforementioned radial slots extending from the center bore outward to; and including all, remaining mounting bolt positions which allows removal and replacement to be accomplished in a rotatable fashion, replacement being further facilitated by orientation openings adjacent to a common sprocket split line, one in each sprocket half.

I claim: 
     
       1. A split sprocket having two mounting apertures bisected by a sprocket split line and additional securing apertures for securing said sprocket to a shaft wherein the improvement comprises; slotting of the securing apertures in a radial manner from a central bore outward to and including the locations of the securing apertures, the radius of the center line of each of said slots on one sprocket portion being determined by the distance from a center of a first mounting aperture to the respective securing aperture, and the radius of a center line of each of said slots on a second sprocket portion being determined by the distance from a center of the second mounting aperture to the respective securing aperture on said second sprocket portion.   
     
     
       2. The split sprocket of claim 1 wherein a reference aperture is provided on either side of a split sprocket mounting aperture. 
     
     
       3. The method of replacing the split sprocket as defined in claim 1 comprising the step of "loosening a securing means of a split sprocket assembly enabling each sprocket portion to be pivotally removeable from mounting on a shaft with the opposite procedure being used for rigidly attaching replacement sprocket portions to the shaft. 
     
     
       4. A split sprocket having a central bore and including a pair of sprocket portions defined by a sprocket split line, a pair of mounting apertures in said sprocket bisected by said sprocket split line, additional securing apertures in said sprocket portions for securing said sprocket to a shaft,   arcuate slots in said sprocket portions, each slot intercommunicating a securing slot and said central bore, the radius of the center line of an arcuate slot in one sprocket portion being defined by the distance between the center of one mounting aperture to the center of the respective securing aperture in said one sprocket portion, and the radius of the center line of an arcuate slot in the other sprocket portion being defined between the center line of the other mounting aperture and the center of the respective securing aperture in said other sprocket portion.   
     
     
       5. A split sprocket having a central bore and including a pair of sprocket portions defined by a sprocket split line, a pair of mounting apertures in said sprocket bisected by said sprocket split line, a pair of securing apertures in each of said sprocket portions for securing said sprocket to a shaft,   a pair of arcuate slots in each sprocket portion, each arcuate slot intercommunicating a securing aperture and said central bore, the radius of the center line of an arcuate slot in one sprocket portion being defined by the distance between the center of each respective mounting aperture in said one sprocket portion and the center of a respective securing aperture in said one sprocket portion, and the radius of the center line of an arcuate slot in the other sprocket portion being defined by the distance between the center of the other mounting aperture in said other sprocket portion and the center of each respective securing apertures in said other sprocket portion.   
     
     
       6. The split sprocket as defined in claim 5 and a pair of reference apertures disposed in closely spaced apart relation, one reference aperture being located in one of said sprocket portions, and the other reference aperture being located in the other sprocket portions.